Farmers need support to expand fruit production Dragon fruits is a key produce in Chau Thanh District, Long An Province. — Photo dangcongsan.vn Fruit is a key produce of provinces around the Mekong Delta. However, small-scale production and poor links from production to purchase, from process to export, are hindering the development of orchards, attendees heard at a workshop held yesterday in the Mekong Delta province of Long An. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the southern provinces have an area of 596,330ha of fruit trees, accounting for 60 per cent of orchards nationwide. Their annual productivity has reached over 6.6 million tonnes, accounting for 67 per cent of the country. Productivity has risen 61 per cent against that of 2010. Due to scattered production, it is difficult for investors to pour capital into developing infrastructure, setting up links in production and controlling product quality. There are 71 fruit processing facilities in the southern provinces but most of them are lacking material. According to Cao Van Hoa, deputy director of Tien Giang province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tien Giang Province has increased its fruit growing area to over 77,700ha last year, up 9,000ha against 2013….